7.3.1 | Blogs
April 11, 2008 | Does Print Still Matter?
By Mark Ouyang
Comments (1)
A little over a year ago, one of my favorite information technology magazines, InfoWorld, suddenly announced they were ceasing print publication and going entirely online. It cited various reasons – cost, limited resources, lower environmental impact, and most importantly, the need to focus on where their audience and advertising revenues seemed to be going – to the web.
Was this the right move? Based on my own personal experience, the answer is “No”. One year later, I no longer read InfoWorld regularly. Unless I get an email with a link to an InfoWorld article that catches my eye, I rarely visit their site now. The “mindshare” they had with me was replaced by two other IT print publications, eWeek and Information Week.
As a loyal reader for years, why didn’t I follow them to the web? The answer is simple: It didn’t meet my needs for convenience and accessibility. Given my typical day, when it was no longer available in the format and time I needed it, I found a substitute. For me, the print version served as a way to grab my attention and “feed” me to their website for more in depth information, discussion, and related articles.
So does print matter? Yes. Its role may be reduced but it still matters. Though Clickability’s business is helping companies develop their online presence, we also realize the web is only one part of an integrated communications strategy involving all mediums – print, web, broadcast and mobile. Each has a role to play. The challenge is figuring out what that role will be going forward.
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I completely agree with you Mark. Meeting the consumer/recipient in a format and time that is convenient for them maximizes the chances of getting in front of their eyes. While I am an online zealot for most everything, there are times when only print will do. FastCompany, Inc., and Entrepreneur are magazines I read religiously. But if they ceased print, it would no longer be convenient for me to read. As it is, these magazines are set on my family room end table and I read them with coffee as an every morning ritual. Thank you. Great blog on an important and dynamic issue. Sincerely, Jim Adams - CEO, NewHomesDirectory.com
Posted by Jim Adams | 05 May 2008 at 6:53AM